Namibia now has 14 regions, 121 constituencies

Energy100fm

August 8, 2013 7:41 pm

Author:

NAMPA

Namibia now has 14 regions, while 14 new constituencies have been created. Two regions and two constituencies have also been renamed.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba announced this on Thursday during a media briefing at State House.

He said the proclamation containing the recommendations of the Fourth Delimitation Commission will be published in the Government Gazette on Friday this week.

The country had 13 regions and 107 constituencies before this announcement on Thursday.

The Kavango Region will be split into two regions, namely Kavango East and Kavango West, while the Caprivi Region will be renamed Zambezi Region and the Karas Region changes to !Karas Region, following recommendations by this Commission.

'Our citizens who live in rural areas are entitled to Government services, just like our citizens who live in urban areas.

I, therefore, believe that the delimitation of our country into regions and constituencies as well as adjustments of the existing constituency boundaries will go a long way in bringing services closer to our people', noted Pohamba.

He said the delimitation of Namibia into more regions and constituencies is linked to the national voters' roll.
'Against this background, elections at both national and regional levels can only succeed if there is certainty regarding constituency boundaries', he continued.

Pohamba said the delimitation of Namibia into regions and constituencies is part of Government's efforts to make the work of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) easier.

'In this manner, the ECN will be in a position to produce a credible, transparent and verifiable national voters' roll, and citizens will be able to scrutinise the number of registered voters in every constituency or region', said the Head of State.

The 14 new constituencies are Opuwo Rural, with the constituency centre at Otuani in the Kunene Region; Ondangwa Urban, with the constituency centre in Ondangwa (Oshana Region); Oshikunde, with the centre in Omutwewomunu (Ohangwena Region); Nehale IyaMpingana, with the centre at Okoloti (Oshikoto Region); Ndonga Linena, with the centre at Ndonga Linena (Kavango East Region); Judea Lyaboloma, with the centre at Sangwali (Zambezi Region); Kabbe South, with the centre at Nakabolelwa (Zambezi Region); Aranos, with the centre at the village of Aranos (Hardap Region); Daweb, with the centre at Maltahohe (Hardap Region); and Karasburg West, with the centre at Noordoewer (!Karas Region).

The Kavango West Region now has four more constituencies, being Nkurenkuru, with the centre at Nkurenkuru; Tondoro, with the centre at Mburuuru; Mankumpi, with the centre at Satotwa; and Ncamangoro, with the centre at Ncamangoro.

The Luderitz Constituency has been renamed #Naminus Constituency, which was the original name of that area, while the Steinhausen Constituency was renamed Okarukambe Constituency.

The boundaries of a number of constituencies were also adjusted in the regions of Omusati, Oshana, Ohangwena, Zambezi, Kavango East, Kavango West, Oshikoto, Otjozondjupa, Khomas, Hardap and !Karas.
The area of Schuckmanburg has also been renamed Luhonono, which was the original name of the area.

Meanwhile, in terms of Section 5, sub-section 4 of the Regional Councils' Act, elections in respect of the new regions and constituencies will only be held in the next Regional Councils' elections.

Pohamba invited all stakeholders to carefully study the new development because the third national voters' roll will be based on the new arrangement.

Once Parliament amends the Electoral Act of 1992, preparations for the third national voters' roll in terms of Section 15 of the Act will start.

'This will contribute to the credible, transparent, free and fair National Assembly and Presidential elections next year since all stakeholders will have sufficient time to scrutinise the voters' roll.

Against this background, I direct the Electoral Commission of Namibia to start with the preparations without delay. As has been the case in the past, we are determined to ensure that the forthcoming elections reflect the will of the nation', Pohamba added.

The commissioners of the Delimitation Commission were appointed by Pohamba on 07 January 2013, and submitted their report to Pohamba towards the end of June this year.

The report contained a number of recommendations, which the president had to consider in terms of Section 5 of sub-section 3 of the Regional Councils' Act of 1992, as amended.